The Catholic Diocese of Cleveland has joined its counterpart in Cincinnati in requiring its elementary school teachers to sign contracts with expanded morality clauses. The changes come about a year after a Columbus Catholic high school teacher was fired after disclosing her same-sex relationship.

The Catholic Diocese of Cleveland has joined its counterpart in Cincinnati in requiring its elementary school teachers to sign contracts with expanded morality clauses.

Cleveland Diocesan spokesman Robert Tayek says the new contracts are simply more specific on what the church considers to be moral behavior. The clauseâ€™s ban includes publicly stating views contrary to church positions on issues such as same-sex marriage, abortion and in-vitro fertilization.

The teachers are also referred to as â€œteacher-ministers.â€

Tayek says that reflects their role as educators in both secular and religious subjects.
He says clarification of existing morality clauses will help protect the diocese in legal cases.

“This was brought about because there have been lawsuits in other dioceses in Ohio and as well as across the country where clarification was really necessary so it wouldnâ€™t be subject to a broad interpretation,” Tayek says.

Tayek says those who refuse to sign the contract would no longer be able to teach, but he does not believe it will be an issue.

A similar contract change in Cincinnati sparked a protest and petitions against the change, but the diocese is holding fast.

Long-time Bishop Watterson High School teacher Carla Hale was fired last year after publicly disclosing her same-sex partner in her mother’s obituary.

The lawyer for a gay teacher fighting to get her job back at Bishop Watterson High School after her mother's obituary appeared in a newspaper with the name of her partner says Carla Hale will file a complaint with the City of Columbus under its anti-discrimination law.

The Watterson High School teacher who said she was fired for being gay plans to file a complaint with the Columbus Community Relations Commission Tuesday. The city of Columbus prohibits firings based on sexual orientation.

Carla Hale said she had hoped Watterson principal Marian Hutson would reinstate her last week. But Hutson did not.

â€œ[The commission has] the authority to charge someone with a first degree misdemeanor, which basically means that guilty party, should they be found guilty, would be subject to a penalty of no more than a $1,000 fine or six months in jail,” Tootle said.

Tootle said Hale’s employment agreement did not say she would become a Catholic or practice Catholic tenets. Tootle said the contract said she must not engage in immoral acts. And the Diocese said Hale acted immorally when she listed her same-sex partner in her mother’s obituary. Now Hale awaits word from fellow union members, the Central Ohio Association of Catholic Educators, whether they support her grievance filed against the Columbus Diocese.

“There’s some ramifications to this decision that they’re about to make which could have impact on all their membership,” Tootle said. “Ms. Hale was terminated under a provision of the agreement that refers to immorality. It doesn’t make any effort to define what that terms means.”

Tootle said Hale also is considering filing an unlawful termination action in civil court.

Current and former Watterson students have rallied behind the physical education teacher. An online petition has collected 100,000 supporter signatures.

The Roman Catholic Diocese of Columbus contends school employees cannot go against teachings of the church.

Catholic leaders in Ohio are joining the chorus of church officials urging parishioners to protest and pray about the federal government’s decision to require many church-affiliated institutions to cover free birth control for employees.

Bishops in Cincinnati, Cleveland and Toledo shared their opposition in letters distributed or read to parishioners this weekend, saying the decision runs counter to their beliefs. They say they won’t comply with a requirement for health coverage of services such as contraception, abortion-inducing drugs or sterilization. They’re urging parishioners to pray or fast and to consider contacting lawmakers in Congress to push for legislation reversing the requirement.